World's Best Youth Paddlers To Compete In SupFiesta This Weekend

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California - The world’s top young standup paddle athletes are coming to Huntington Beach, California for the sport’s most prestigious youth event. With seven divisions of age group surf racing, seven divisions of age group sup surfing, and the Junior Pro Invitation sup surfing contest, it is going to be an action packed day of competition. 

In the world’s only "Junior Pro" contest, 8 male and 8 female athletes will be vying for not only for a $5000 equal gender prize purse, but also "El Sombrero Grande", the coveted award for the 1st place male and 1st place female winners. Past winners of "El Sombrero" include: 2013 champions Noah Yap (Maui) and Vanina Walsh (Oahu), 2014 champions Mo Freitas (Oahu) and Starboard SUP's Fiona Wylde (Oregon). Some of the events alumni include rising stars such as: Yuri Daberkow (Brazil), Natalia Smith (Kauai), Fisher Grant (Florida), Giorgio Gomez (Florida), Ridge Lenny (Maui), Bernd Roediger (Maui), Kristi Paige (Australia), and Riggs Napoleon (Oahu).

Pictured: (left) Bern Roediger. Photo: Shutter Pat (right) Ridge Lenny. Photo: Harry Weiwel

"I had a fantastic time competing in the SupFiesta,” says Natalia Smith who flew from Kauai for last year’s event. “It is an awesome event that showcases a wide variety of youth talent."

Watching the skill of these amazing sup athletes is simply incredible. Not only are the “Youth Inspiring Youth,” but they are also inspiring most of the adults in the crowd. Adult Sup Pro Jeramie Vaine explains, “This event showed us what the sport of SUP is all about. The groms were rockstars and are an inspiration to all of us!” If you live anywhere near Orange County come and watch the future of our sport.

If you can’t make it in person check out Performance Paddling's social media pages and follow the action. The event hashtag is #SupFiesta15. There will be live updates posted regularly on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Be sure to follow and engage in the action.

Natalia Smith came all the way from Kauai, Hawaii to compete in last year's event. | Photo: Shutter Pat

Twitter: @performpaddling
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The event has some fantastic support from some of the industries leading board manufactures like Infinity, Bark, Naish, SIC Maui, and Focus SUP. Also a few out of industry sponsors are supporting this one of a kind event like Purps, Maui Jim, Daphne's, Cobian and Mamma Chia.

The SupFiesta crew would like to give special thanks to companies who have supported the event for each of its three years of existence: Sweet Waterwear, Maui Jim, Infinity, SuptheMag, On it Pro, Quickblade, Victory Koredry, and Bark.

For more details on the event click here.

Big thanks to all of our event sponsors: Maui Jim, Sweet Waterwear, Purps, Cobian, Daphne’s California Greek, Infinity, Bark, SIC, SuptheMag, South Tahoe Standup Paddle, Onit Pro, Victory, Mamma Chia, Humu Surf Co., Focus SUP, Quickblade, Anchorfish Screenprinting, Naish, Isle Surf & Sup, Pualani Hawaii, Hurley, FCS, Clif Bar, and Vita Coco.